OUR CONSTITUTIONAI. SHIPPING POLICY. 79 



nations to obstruct our retaliatory measures on them, by a corrupt influence, 

 would also be less if a majority should be made competent to legislative 

 acts in this case. An abuse of the power would be qualified with all these 

 good effects. But," bethought, "an abuse was rendered improbable by the 

 provision of two branches; by the independence of the Senate; by the 

 negative of the President; b)^ the interest of Connecticut and New Jersey, 

 which were agricultural, not commercial, states; by the interior interest, 

 which was also agricultural; by the accession of western states, which 

 would be altogether agricultural. The southern states would derive an 

 essential advantage in the general security afforded by the increase of our 

 maritime strength." 



Mr. Gorham, of Massachusetts, speaking for New England, said: — "If 

 the Government is to be so fettered as to be unable to relieve the eastern 

 states, what motive can they have to join it and thereby tie their own 

 hands from measures which they might otherwise take for themselves? 

 The eastern states were not led to strengthen the Union by fear for their 

 own safety. He deprecated the consequences of disunion, but if it should 

 take place it was the southern part of the continent that had the most 

 reason to dread them. He urged the improbability of a combination 

 against the interest of the southern states, the different situations of the 

 northern and middle states being a security against it. It was, moreover, 

 certain that foreign ships would never be altogether excluded, especially 

 those of nations in treaty with us." 



Thus was the fact disclosed to the Convention that the encourage- 

 ment of the merchant marine, free of restrictions, was an indispensable 

 requisite for a permanent union of the states. Had this matter been settled 

 otherwise, New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia would 

 not have adopted the Constitution. This being clearly seen, the grant of 

 power was made "nem. con." No provision of the Constitution contrib- 

 uted more to its adoption. No power exercised by Congress ever created 

 so much prestige and advantage for our republic. Our early marine was, 

 verily, "the Child of Protection." This statement will not be contra- 

 dicted and need not be proved. Nor need further evidence be given to 

 show that the mode of this protection — and its original power — ^was given 

 up by the states and taken over by the General Government, on condition 

 that the protection desired and necessary should always be afforded. By 

 this compact the states were relieved of their natural duty to encourage 

 and protect a most important industry, and the United States, by virtue 

 of it, promised and undertook the duty, with no right reserved ever to 

 discontinue it. 



